Early Christmas present for the Villagers

FT: North Ferriby United 31 Tamworth

19 December 2015

After the midweek Trophy defeat at Halifax Andy Morrell’s Lambs regrouped for a trip to FA Trophy holders (but also out of this seasons competition) North Ferriby.Sixth placed Tamworth, on the back of seven league games without defeat, had won the return fixture on the opening day of the season via an Elliott Durrell goal at The Lamb but The Villagers, sat in third place, would be looking to strengthen their push for the top of the league with a win at Grange Lane as both sides went in search of an early Christmas present.

North Ferriby got the game underway and an early chance fell for home captain King, but he skied his shot high and wide. Play stopped when Burns put a tough challenge in on Brooksby and the Lambs defender picked up a yellow.Brooksby was helped from the field before play resumed and a right sided cross was met by the head of the tall number 9, Tom Denton on 4 but he directed it over the bar.Another chance for King came on 8 when Denton’s ball set itself up nicely, but his shot was deflected over for a corner on the right which was aimed for Denton but easily cleared. Clarke combined well down the left to find Taylor on the right on 12 but his shot on the angle was blocked and Durrell forced a corner on the right which he took and the ball fell for Fowler but his shot was blocked too.Durrell tried his luck from 20 yards on the left of the box on 15 but was only able to get the ball back to Nicklin in the home goal. Durrell set Strong away on a searching run down the left and low ball for Dyer, Nicklin denied the opening goal at the near post with a brave save.A Durrell freekick in the right channel went back to Nicklin on 18 and he tried again on 21 but the ball skipped away and Ferriby fired it long back to Belshaw to slow the game down slightly.Another Strong run down the left wing forced a corner on 28 which Durrell put onto the head of Tomassen past the far post but he couldn’t direct it on target.Nicklin denied a driven effort from Fowler on 31 with a low stop to his right and King sent a low shot for Belshaw to gather on 35.Another ball from Durrell to Curtis forced a corner on 37 but it was cleared from danger and Ferriby went on the attack, only to be foiled by The Lambs defence.Danny Clarke’s persistence in the middle of the park sent Kendall free on the right and his whipped in cross was met by a bullet header from captain King which powered past Belshaw for the opening goal (0-1, 41 mins)Then less than 180 seconds later, King struck again when the ball reached him on the edge of the area and he was able to pick his spot, the bottom right corner, to double his tally and the advantage. (0-2, 44) and two minutes added time was shown at the end of the half.

HT: North Ferriby United 20 Tamworth

Tamworth restarted proceedings but it was the home side who forced an early pair of corners and Brooksby nearly got a shot away before it fell to King 25 yards out and he smelt his hat-trick but could only find Belshaw with his drive.Durrell shot just wide on 48 then made no mistake with a precision pass to Strong on the left of the box which he cooly finished to reduce the arrears (1-2, 50 mins)Durrell received the ball when Burn’s cross was headed out of the box on 58 and struck low for the bottom left corner but shot just wide.Brooksby made it 3-1 to Ferriby on the hour, left unmarked in the left of the area he received the ball from Bolder and curled it into the far right corner.Burns crossed on 64 from the right into the path of Clarke and it seemed that all he had to do was touch it but he missed his header and the ball ran long and away from Nicklin’s area. Mettam joined play on 68 for Fowler and The Lambs pushed forwards but were thwarted by a resilient home back line.Bateson forced Belshaw into a low stop at his near post with a drilled effort on 73 and then a foul on Taylor 35 yards out in a central position allowed Durrell a dead ball strike but it hit the wall and the chance was wasted.Ferriby seemed content not to try too hard to add a fourth goal, while also not concede and set up a tense finish either so with 10 to play and two goals behind, Tamworth needed to step to a gear.Smith replaced Green on 81 and when Denton was tripped on the edge of the area on 82, Ferriby were handed a freekick which Bolder fired wide of the right hand post.Morrell swapped himself for Dyer for the final few minutes but at the other end of the field, Ferriby nearly netted a fourth when 400+ appearance holder Fry got a header away under pressure but it was cleared.Three minutes added time were shown at the end of the game but there was no late comeback.